maemo.org - Talk - View Single Post

	fpp	2007-07-07 , 21:01
	Posts: 2,853 \| Thanked: 968 times \| Joined on Nov 2005	#162

Originally Posted by Karel Jansens

(snipped all the stuff I agree with, because -- well, because I totally agree with it)
OpenMoko is indeed taking its first baby-steps, but you have to agree that they appear to be listening to their user base: They just quadrupled the flash memory, almost doubled the processor speed and included WiFi b/g, all the things prospective users and developers had been asking (I'm assuming the motion sensors and the graphics accelerator were a free bonus ). To me, that shows commitment. If Nokia had done that, we'd have started with the N800 (OK, minus the camera, because it's lame)!
Also, if you go to http://www.openmoko.org/ and check the place out, you'll find that there are already quite a few projects in development, and the device isn't even out yet!

I just went and took a look.
Yes, this is the anti-iPhone in just every possible way.
Yes, this is a novel approach to hardware design (not the idea itself, but in the sense that it actually is bringing something to market).
Yes, this is the closest thing to date to "things done right" from an open-source enthusiast/hacker/geek's point of view.

I'm still not convinced I'll like the results, from a user's (or even power-user's) perspective, say in a year or two.

Take this gem in the iPhone/Neo1973 comparison chart : "Software can be created by normal users." Charmingly naive, no ?

Also some signatures in the active members are very reminiscent of the past Zaurus (and Linux on other PDAs) fragmentation and turf wars debacle, let's hope they do better here.

I do hope I'm totally wrong anyway -- but in a sort of altruistic way, because I'm too old to squint at a 640*480 2.8" screen :-)

Quote & Reply |